NOTE - After
19 years online, HomeOfHeroes.com may soon close it's doors.

Many of the HERO STORIES, history,
citations and other information detailed in this website are, at least for now,
available in PRINT or DIGITAL format from AMAZON.COM. The below comprise the nearly
4-dozen "Home Of Heroes" books currently available.

Your HomeOfHeroes CONTENT & Navigation is below the following
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Medal
of Honor Books

This series of books contains the citations for ALL
Medals of Honor awarded to that branch of service, with brief biographical data and photos
of many of the recipients. Some of them also include citations for other awards, analysis
of awards, data tables and analysis and more. These are LARGE volumes, each 8 1/2" x
11" and more than 500 pages each. Click on a book to find it on Amazon.com where you
can find more details on what is contained in each book, as well as to get a free preview.
Each volume is $24.95.

These books contain the citations for nearly all of the awards of the Silve
Star and higher to members of each branch of service in the War on Terrorism. Books
include photos of most recipients, some biographical data, analysis of awards by rank,
unit, date, and more.

ENCYCLOPEDIA
of AMERICAN MILITARY HEROES

With the 5 Medal of Honor volumes
above, these compilations comprise a virtual 28-volume ENCYCLOPEDIA of decorated American
heroes(15,000 pages) with award citations, history, tables & analysis, and
detailed indexes of ACEs, FLAG OFFICERS, and more. (Click on any book to see it in
Amazon.com - $24.95 Each Volume)

20th Century Flags

The continued development of the
United States Flag in the last half of the 19th century came quickly. During the
Civil War Nevada applied for and was granted statehood, hence that state's motto
"Battle Born". Then began the slow process of re-admitting the
eleven states that had seceded from the Union back, into statehood in the Union.
Tennessee, the last of the eleven states to leave the Union, became the first to be
re-admitted on July 24, 1866. It would be four more years before the remaining
states would be gradually granted their rights to statehood.

During that same year the
people of Nebraska voted for statehood, a request granted by Congress. President
Andrew Johnson VETOED the request, fearing that being a largely Republican area, the added
representation would tip the scales against him in the impeachment proceedings he was
facing. Congress overrode his veto on March 1, 1867 and Nebraska became the 37th
state. (14 months later the Senate vote of impeachment fell 1 VOTE short of the two
thirds required under the Constitution (126 - 47).

In 1868 the states of Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina were readmitted to the
Union. The following year Texas was readmitted, and in 1870 Mississippi, Georgia,
and Virginia received renewed statehood. With the last of the Confederate States
reunited with the Union, the stage was set for the Centennial celebration of the United
States in 1876. During that celebration of our Nation's 100th birthday a new state
was admitted. Incorporated twenty years earlier as the State of Jefferson, it would
have been the first state named for a United States President. Instead the people of
this gold-rich western territory became the 38th state under the name
"Colorado". It became known as the "Centennial State" due the
date of its admission.

Following the admission of
Colorado, the growth of the United States slowed for thirteen years. On November 2,
1889, for the first time in history, TWO states were admitted on the same date:
South Dakota and North Dakota. Six days later Montana became the 41st state,
followed 3 days later by Washington. The addition of five new states in the week
from November 2 - 11 would have resulted in a flag of 42 stars the following July 4th,
however one day before Independence Day a 43rd state was added, the State of Idaho.
Six days after the admission of Idaho, Wyoming was admitted as our 44th State.

The frenzy of adding 6 new
States in less than nine months slowed for a 6-year respite. Then, as the dawn of a
new century approached, Utah applied for statehood. The request was granted on
January 4, 1896, making it state number 45. It was a flag of 45 stars, similar to
the one shown here, that flew over the United States of America as the 20th century
dawned.

It was under this flag that the
United States became engaged in its first major war on foreign soil (excluding the battles
in Mexico and Korea earlier in the century), when the battleship "Maine" sank in
Cuba. The 45-star flag saw Teddy Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders" through
their famous charge at San Juan Hill. It was also under this flag the the United
States Navy established our Nation's supremacy on the seas when it defeated the formidable
Spanish Armada.

Seven years into the new
century Oklahoma became State #46 on November 16, 1907. The 46-star flag changed
again five years later with the addition of New Mexico on January 6, 1912; and
Arizona a month later on February 14, 1912. The flag of 48 stars became our
Nation's most enduring flag, existing without change for 42 years.

48-STAR FLAG (1912 - 1959)

Due its longevity and the rapid
pace of historical events, the 48-star flag developed a legacy that may have surpassed its
predecessors including the 35-star Civil War flag and even the 13-star flag of the
American Revolution. It was under a banner of 48 stars that President Wilson called
for a special day of honor for the flag. The process of pledging allegiance to the
Flag of the United States became official under the 48-star flag as well. (More
about both of these subjects a little further in the tour.)

Under the 48-star flag the United
States faced a world at war and sent our soldiers to defend the freedom of
Europe. During the American Revolution, French nobleman Marquis De Lafayette
had sacrificed much to a United States Flag of 13 stars. As American soldiers
arrived in France in 1917, Colonel Charles E. Stanton stood at the tomb of Layfette under
a flag now bearing 48 stars in testimony to that Nation's growth to proclaim,
"Lafayette, we are here." Slightly more than 20 years later this same flag
saw our Nation through another World War. It was this flag that was flying over
Pearl Harbor when our Nation was attacked on December 7, 1941. It was this flag that
was raised from the top of Mount Suribachi in 1944. It was this flag that landed on
the shores of Korea in 1950.

Before
we continue our tour and learn about the flag of 50 stars to which you Pledge Allegiance
today, I'd like to tell you about two very special, HISTORIC flags of 48 stars.
Click on me at the left to visit the archives and learn about President Roosevelt's FLAG
OF LIBERATION and then return to your tour.

Click on the NEXT arrow to go to the
next page is this series on the history of our Flag. If you ever get lost along the
way, you can click on the compass to go to our hyper-linked Site Map for the Hall of
Heroes.